Country music darling Carrie Underwood is getting ready to hit the stage at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday — just months after giving birth to her second child, Jacob, with husband Mike Fisher.
The 36-year-old singer will warm up her vocal cords at the event before hitting the road for her Cry Pretty 360 tour next month. This year, Underwood is set to take the stage with Lauren Alaina, Mickey Guyton, Maddie & Tae and "This Is Us" star Chrissy Metz to perform "I’m Standing with You," according to The Tennessean. It will be Metz's first time singing on a national stage.
The ACMs have been emotional for Underwood in recent years. Last year, the star took the stage publicly for the first time after suffering a brutal fall at her Nashville home.
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As Underwood prepares to return to the ACMs, take a look back at some of her biggest moments at the awards show.
Revealing her "new" face
Underwood had stayed out of the spotlight for months as she recovered from the November 2018 injury, which left her with a broken wrist and roughly 40 stitches.
The singer said she simply missed a step while heading outside to walk her dogs. At the time of the accident, Underwood says she was alone — with only her son, Isaiah, upstairs. She was rushed to the hospital, where she recovered away from the public eye.
In early April, she broke her silence on her facial scar by sharing a full photo of herself on Instagram.
But it wasn't until the ACMs on April 15, 2018, that fans were finally able to peep Underwood's "new face" during her three-minute performance of "Spinning Bottles." She also took home an award for Favorite Female Country Artist that year.
Epic duet with Keith Urban
Fans couldn't help but gush over Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood's performance of "The Fighter" in 2017.
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Ahead of the show, Underwood gave fans a preview of her shimmery, fringe mini dress on Instagram.
The set kicked off with a guitar solo by Urban. He kicked off the song — with his wife, Nicole Kidman, singing along in the audience — with the opening lyrics before Underwood joined and the stage lit up in a bright red-orange.
"Shut it down, right now. @KeithUrban and @CarrieUnderwood are on [fire]! #ACMs," the verified ACMs Twitter account wrote at the time, sharing a GIF of the steamy performance.
The Internet was ablaze with comments about the "hot" act, a nod the the flames that shot out from the sides of the stage.
Performing "Church Bells"
After taking a years-long hiatus from the ACM stage and returning to the awards show for the first time since having a baby, Underwood said it was "time" to be front and center once again.
"I just really wanted it to be kind of dramatic and cool ... We really wanted to just kind of bring it, and I feel like we did," Underwood said in an interview with the ACMs in 2016. "It's going to be fun."
The singer made her TV debut with her brand new single, "Church Bells," during the 2016 ACMs. The performance made Billboard's list of top 12 Underwood "dynamic" shows of all time.
The publication pointed out that it was in this performance that Underwood, sporting a blond bob, was seen playing an instrument (banging on huge silver drums) — a rare occurrence for the country singer.
The set received a standing ovation upon its conclusion.
Accepting the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award
During the 2014 ACM Honors in Nashville, a pregnant Underwood got emotional while accepting the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award.
“The Academy has always been so good to me,. I don't know why I'm getting still misty-eyed. I'm thankful for country music because, throughout my entire life, it has been so good to me. I had all kinds of stuff to say, you guys, but it's all gone," said Underwood as her voice broke.
"I just really, really, want you guys to know that I'm so honored ... so blessed," she continued, adding that she's so happy for everyone else. "What is wrong with me?!"
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The ACM host, Jake Owen, told Underwood to blame it on the pregnancy hormones.
“Mike, let me let you in on something. Women get very emotional when they’re pregnant. Roll with it. If she says the sky is green, it’s green," he joked at the time, according to People.
ACM later posted a video clip of Underwood's speech on YouTube. It has garnered more than 20,000 views since then.
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